Some throne rooms should remain sacred

In this age of cellphones and adolescent persistence, community blogger James Martin recalls a time when bathrooms were sacrosanct.

In this world we are losing sacred places, they are going the way of the black rhino. Some still exist, but they are few and far between. Sure there are national ones like Arlington (the cemetery not the race track, though it may qualify for some), the Lincoln and Jefferson memorials, and the war memorials. And in religion we have churches, synagogues, and mosques; all sacred.

But our personal sacred places are endangered and routinely violated. This is not a Libertarian rant on government intrusion into our digital world or home. It is not about hackers taking control of our laptop or Ipad webcam. It is more personal than that.

Yes, I am writing about the sacred throne room in the castle. It used to be sacrosanct. In the all too distant past, small mortals would heed the closed, locked door; biding their needs, questions, and comments for a more opportune and appropriate time. But no longer. The closed door, engaged lock, and buzzing fan, are apparently too subtle. And ignoring the knocking and hollered inquiry as to my obvious location is evidently the most efficient way to teach adolescent persistence. Next time I stay in a hotel, I must liberate a Do Not Disturb sign, maybe the three language one will get the message across.

I am positive that when the president is in the Situation Room, in the basement of the White House, there is no one pounding on that door. That is because the most pressing situation is already being addressed. The home situation room should be no different: absent an immediate threat to life, limb, or property, trust me... IT CAN WAIT.

Public sacred places are themselves going the way of the rotary dial. It is apparent that the public private sanctum is now the place to engage in personal and professional phone conversations. Nothing says I love you, or seals a business deal, like a background courtesy flush. And for the record, it is not true that there is an app that changes a toilet stall into private phone booth. We can still hear you. Clark Kent may now need to change in a stall, but he's sure as heck not calling Lois Lane from the men's room. There should be a sign, "The only call you should answer here is the one from nature."

Maybe the solution is to revert back to an outdoor privy. The question will then be, is there enough light to read?

James Martin is a former attorney and graduate of Gonzaga University and Marquette Law School. He lives in Spring Prairie near Burlington. He has been diagnosed with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS. He is married with 6 kids. James is a community blogger and is not a part of The Gazette staff. His opinion is not necessarily that of the Gazette staff or management.